Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: which headphones to choose?

Everyone who owns an Apple device — iPhone, iPad or MacBook, — naturally immediately thinks of Apple headphones. After all, any AirPods are designed to fit seamlessly into the ecosystem. But a product with Apple written on the box — is not the only option. Thanks to Apple’s 2014 acquisition of Beats, their headphones, such as the Powerbeats Pro 2, have the same built-in integration as Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. In addition, Beats is compatible with Android devices as well.

Beats is also compatible with Android devices.

So should you buy the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2? Or are the AirPods Pro 2, which are still considered one of the best wireless headphones you can buy, still a great choice?”

Are the AirPods Pro 2 still a great choice?

Price

The AirPods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2 both have the same price: $250. But since the AirPods have been available for more than two years, you can regularly find them on sale.

The AirPods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2 are the same price.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Characteristics

The two headphones utilize Apple’s H2 chip, which offers superior performance when it comes to noise cancellation, battery life, fast pairing and sharing capabilities, and better sound. There are a number of similar features — iCloud sharing, auto-switching, audio sharing, Find My, Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Hey Siri support — they all work the same in both AirPods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2.

They’re all the same in both AirPods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2.

The AirPods’ standout feature is adaptive audio, which is a mix of ANC and transparency mode that dynamically adjusts the level of sound you hear based on the changing environment around you. Sudden loud sounds are attenuated, as is constant noise. The Powerbeats have a “Transparency” mode, but it doesn’t adjust automatically like the “Adaptive” mode. The AirPods also have IP54 dust protection, which covers both the earbuds and the case, while the Powerbeats are IPX4 (earbuds only).

Powerbeats have an IPX4 rating.

Powerbeats — the first headphones in Apple’s heart-rate-monitoring family, and unlike AirPods, they can be used with both Apple and Android devices. The Beats app from the Google Play store lets you switch between ANC and Transparent modes, activate heart-rate monitoring, use Find My Beats (the Android version of Find My), and change button assignments. AirPods can be used as Bluetooth headphones on an Android device, but you can only adjust the volume. The battery life of the Beats is also better than the AirPods. Up to 10 hours with ANC turned off.

Winner: Tie

Design and fit

The design of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 is iconic. Whether you love it or not, the white stem design has symbolized Apple’s earbuds since the wired versions were introduced more than 20 years ago. And it’s been copied —for better or worse — by many companies, with varying degrees of success.

And it’s been copied — for better or worse — by many companies, with varying degrees of success.

Powerbeats Pro 2 is markedly different from them. The Powerbeats utilize an earhook design, so while the earbuds do fit in the ear, they also wrap around the coil for added stability. Another ear tip size (the extra large option) provides more flexibility, and the four colors available at launch add more style personality than the single AirPods variant.

Powerbeats 2’s earbuds are also available in a variety of colors.

It’s rare to encounter problems with AirPods landing. However, there are times when the earpiece can easily slip out of your ear when you switch tracks or answer a call. With Beats, such a problem does not arise. The hook design keeps them securely in your ears, whether you need to adjust the volume or you’re out for a jog. Both earbuds are comfortable for hours of use. However, the hook design may cause slight discomfort if you use the earbuds for too long.

When it comes to control, the earbuds use very different technology. AirPods have capacitive touch controls — tap the side of the earbuds to stop and start music, switch tracks, answer a call; pinch and hold the earbud stem to switch listening modes or activate Siri; or swipe your finger up and down on the earbud stem to adjust the volume. Powerbeats utilize physical touch buttons. A short press on the “b” on the earbuds controls track navigation and calls, while a long press toggles the noise-canceling mode. There are volume buttons along the top of the headphones.

Touch buttons can’t always work consistently. Beats are easier because of the physical buttons.

The biggest drawback of the Powerbeats Pro 2 — their size. While the size is significantly smaller than the original Powerbeats Pro, the earhook design takes up more space than the AirPods Pro 2, which means the Beats’ case is bigger, too.

At the end of the day, it’s not as big as the AirPods Pro 2.

If you want something more compact, the AirPods Pro 2 are fine. But with a secure fit, buttons, and plenty of color options, these headphones are a winner in terms of design and comfort.

Beats’ AirPods Pro 2 is the best of the bunch.

Winner: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

Sound Quality

If you compare the sound quality between headphones in this price range, the differences are usually minimal. It all comes down to personal preference.

The Beats have a nice, powerful bass response and midrange clarity. The upper midrange is a little lacking in punch, but that’s a minor issue. The treble is airy and well detailed. Turn up the volume too much, however, and those high frequencies can quickly become shrill and fatiguing.

In contrast, the AirPods Pro 2’s treble is smoother and slightly more sloping, but not as exciting. The same can be said for the response around 5-7kHz, where you can feel the clarity of ratchet sounds and the splash of cymbals. AirPods do a better job with vocals and the midrange of guitars.

Winner: Tie

ANC and transparency mode

When the AirPods Pro 2 came out, they quickly became one of the best noise-canceling headphones out there. The performance was amazing. Since then, other headphones have been released — notably the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, — which have surpassed the AirPods, albeit only slightly. Nevertheless, the AirPods Pro 2 offer some of the best noise cancellation on the market.

The AirPods Pro 2 offer some of the best noise cancellation on the market.

You’d expect that because the Powerbeats Pro 2 use the same H2 chip as the AirPods, Beats’ noise-cancellation would be on the same level, but that’s not entirely true. That’s not to say that the Beats don’t handle noise canceling perfectly. But they don’t compare favorably to the AirPods Pro 2, which do a better job with rattling and low-level noise reduction on an airplane.

And they’re not the same as the AirPods Pro 2.

But more importantly, the AirPods have a “Transparent” mode that dynamically adjusts the sound mode to constantly changing noises in the environment. It helps protect your ears from sudden loud noises or drown out constant noise while still allowing you to hear your surroundings.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2

Additional Features

AirPods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2 share many of the same additional features, including iCloud sharing, auto switching, audio sharing, spatial audio with dynamic head position tracking, and Siri support. There’s no difference in how the headphones work, either.

Pods Pro 2 and Powerbeats Pro 2

There are a few features of the AirPods over the Beats, like charging with support for MagSafe and Apple Watch chargers and better dust protection. Most notable are Apple’s hearing enhancement options. These include a hearing test — with fairly accurate results that exceeded an audiologist’s expectations for a home test — and FDA approval for use as a hearing aid. These are impressive features, and for those who suffer from hearing loss.

These are impressive features, and for those who suffer from hearing loss.

But the Powerbeats Pro 2 is one step ahead when it comes to workout and cross-compatibility. The new heart-rate measurement feature, which uses a green LED sensor that pulses more than 100 times per second, a photodiode that reads reflections from red blood cells, and a special algorithm to combine information from two earbuds, is remarkably accurate compared to other wearable devices like the Garmin Epix 2 and Apple Watch Series 10. Third-party apps are also supported, which, with the right iOS Health app resolution settings, work seamlessly with heart-rate monitoring.

And it works seamlessly with heart-rate monitoring.

Since Beats is part of Apple but still somewhat considered separate, it benefits from having native integration into Apple’s ecosystem while maintaining strong support for Android products. There are a few features that are only available on Apple devices (like Spatial Audio with head tracking and Audio Sharing), and heart rate monitoring needs to be triggered in the Beats Android app, but they still far exceed the functionality of AirPods on Android devices. In that case, the AirPods — are just a Bluetooth device that has no settings, including an ANC/Transparency toggle.

The AirPods are just a Bluetooth device that has no settings, including an ANC/Transparency toggle.

If you need hearing support, AirPods — are a great choice, but for workouts you’re better off opting for Beats.

Winner: Tie

Total

It’s probably no surprise that the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 have proven to be good contenders. They use the same processor chip, and they’re created by essentially the same company. But there are still a few notable differences, because the purposes for using the headphones are different.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 — are great headphones for working out. The hook keeps the earbuds securely in place, heart rate monitoring lets you get the most out of your workout, and the different color options help you look bright during your run. If you don’t have an Apple device (or you have both Apple and Android devices), Powerbeats will also serve you better than AirPods because you can use them with everything.

For Apple devotees and everyday use, however, the AirPods Pro 2 — are a better choice. The ANC and transparency modes work a little better, they’re more compact and pocket-friendly, and they have more features for Apple users than the Beats (other than heart-rate monitoring).

The AirPods Pro 2 are better for Apple users than the Beats.

If you’re looking for workout headphones, buy the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Otherwise, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 will likely serve you better.

And if you’re not, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 will likely serve you better.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Which headphones to choose was first published on ITZine.ru.